Finding a job in Helsinki
On this page
- Tips for finding a job in Helsinki
- How to register as a jobseeker
- Other helpful employment services
- Work for the City of Helsinki
Helsinki is home to close to half a million jobs
Industries in Finland’s capital are quite stable, with significant growth in the scientific, financial and technical sectors. The city’s ICT businesses are booming and have overtaken trade in terms of new jobs created. Helsinki has a shortage of healthcare and early childhood education professionals, so there are many jobs available in these fields.
Tips for finding a job in Helsinki
Check the job search websites below. Note that the last two links lead to job search websites that are only available in Finnish.
If you are unable to find work, you can register as a jobseeker at your local TE employment office. They will direct you to Helsinki Employment Services, where many services are available to help you.
Join social media groups that focus on employment, and make an effort to actively network (for example, attend job fairs, training workshops and recruitment events)
Contact firms you are interested in and offer to work, and also ask people you know about work that might be available
If you are not already learning one of Finland’s two official languages, sign up to learn Finnish and/or Swedish at a location near you.
How to register as a jobseeker
If you are already a registered resident of the city and are looking for work, your first step should be to register as a jobseeker at a TE office (Employment and Economic Development Office). The office will direct you to Helsinki Employment Services.
In addition to its other services, Helsinki Employment Services provides jobseekers from abroad with a set of targeted services that aim to help newcomers find work and settle in. People who have lived here for less than three years since their registration of residence are eligible to begin these services.
For example, integration training provides eligible participants with introductory Finnish or Swedish lessons and guidance in identifying and developing skills that are important for the job market. Employment service specialists help participants to create their own personal employment or integration plan. In most cases, this training lasts one year.
Other options available to all eligible registered jobseekers include career counselling, education advice, work try-outs and pay subsidy work, as well as apprenticeships that combine work and study. Learn more about all of the service options on the Helsinki Employment Services website.
Other helpful employment services
If love has led you to Helsinki, the Spouse Program might be just what you are looking for. Arranged for recently-arrived spouses and partners from abroad, the service helps newcomers to reduce their dependency on their partner and forge their own path in their new home country. Participants expand their professional and social network, attend helpful career training, and learn more about Finland.
Another city service that offers rehabilitation, education and employment services to members of Helsinki’s international community is the Helsinki Skills Center. Customers are referred to the service by Helsinki Employment Services or social services. After a short assessment, they are then placed in, for example, a vocational workshop, a Finnish-language workshop or work coaching. The Helsinki Skills Center offers services in Somali, Arabic, English and easy Finnish.
Helsinki also provides a service specifically targeted to jobseekers between the ages of 15 and 29. Ohjaamo Helsinki helps young people to find work with a low threshold. Customers can walk into a service location anytime, without an appointment, to ask about work or study opportunities, or just to talk. Ohjaamo Helsinki’s employment advisors and social workers also provide assistance on the phone, email, the Discord chat service and social media channels.
While many Finnish universities offer internships, they do not normally have student work programmes because the state provides financial aid for eligible students. Students must therefore seek part-time work and summer jobs independently if they want to earn extra money.
Many study programmes require an internship. The websites Academic Work and Duunitori list some of the paid internships that are available. Students from non-EU countries are subject to limitations on work arrangements during their studies.
If you’ve completed a degree in Finland and want to remain in the country for work, the immigration authorities can grant you an extended residence permit to look for work or start a business. If you find yourself jobless after graduation, it is a good idea to immediately register as a jobseeker at a TE office.
Are you interested in working for the City of Helsinki?
The City of Helsinki is the largest employer in Finland’s capital, with over 39,000 employees. Check out the city’s recruitment website for open positions of interest.